‘The World Heritage listing requires not only that the building be preserved in its fabric, but also that it be presented properly … and no way under the current conservation management plan should this be allowed,’ Mr Quint said.

While Tim Costello, a spokesman for the Alliance for Gambling Reform, said that the advert demonstrated the power of the Australian horse racing industry, which made a profit of 3.3 billion Australian dollars (£1.7 billion) last year.

‘The gambling lobby, particularly in New South Wales, is the equivalent of the National Rifle Association in America. It … has politicians in the palm of its hand,’ the anti-gambling campaigner told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says the advert has been toned down from what was originally planned (Picture: AAP)

The Opera House was used to send a message of good luck to Australia athletes in the 2016 Olympics (Picture: AFP/Getty Images)

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian has also defended the decision, stating that the original promotion has now been toned down to fit people’s tastes.

Advertisement

Advertisement

‘It’s important for us to support our major events, it’s important for us to promote New South Wales but, of course, do it in good taste and I believe that tomorrow evening strikes that right balance,” Ms Berejiklian told reporters on Monday.

She went on to describe the Sydney horse race, which will take place on Sunday October 14, as ‘a global event that receives global attention’.

Racing NSW have since come forward to state that they had originally wanted their promotion to be shown on Sydney Harbour Bridge.